North East Media (NEM), the publisher of the Mansfield Courier, has reached agreement with the Mott family to purchase The Alexandra Standard and The Yea Chronicle mastheads. NEM publisher Hartley Higgins said he was pleased with the agreement as the mastheads come with strong historic connections and award-winning coverage of their towns and regional communities. NEM has published country newspapers as a family business for more than 100 years and has an acute appreciation of how important a local newspaper is to its community. "We believe local newspapers should actively reflect the communities they serve and consistently promote the local economy and jobs," he said. Chief executive officer Edward Higgins said he believed additional value could be added to local newspapers through digital media services. "These mastheads fit well with our regional newspapers at Mansfield and Euroa, and will be supported by our Wangaratta-based print and publishing technologies. "Local newspapers' future lies in their ability to reflect and promote the communities they serve, especially in regional Australia where local reporting and trust are essential for community accountability," he said. Originally launched in 1868 as The Alexandra Times, The Alexandra Standard also covers Yarck, Taggerty, Thornton, Buxton, Eildon and Marysville. The Yea Chronicle, which dates back to 1890, originally started as the Yea Telegraph. It covers the western side of Murrindindi Shire, including Yea, Strath Creek, Glenburn, Flowerdale, Kinglake and Highlands. The purchase follows NEM's acquisition of newspapers in the New South Wales Monaro, Riverina and Central West regions in recent years.
